


Class Project

by Peaceandunity (UnityisKey)



Series: Destroying preconceived notions through friendship [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Friendship, Gryffindor/Slytherin Inter-House Relationships, Gryfindors, Herbology, Hogwarts Inter-House Friendships, Project, Slytherins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-03-06 20:29:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13419042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnityisKey/pseuds/Peaceandunity
Summary: A prequel to Say Geronimo, but can stand alone.Nick Fisher takes advantage of Neville's awkwardness and herbology skills by suggesting they turn the class project into a group project.May (probably will) continue.





	1. The assignment

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! so this work takes place before Say Geronimo and I'll add more if it seems like people want me too or I get bored. Either way thanks for reading and feel free to shoot me suggestions for this 'verse.

“Why can’t we just make it a group project professor?” I ask interrupting Sprouts explanation of how to take care of our Boom Berry’s for the next month.  
“-What?” She asks blinking, apparently too startled by the question to be annoyed at my interruption.  
“Why don’t we make it a group project? You know... pair up in groups of two or three and share the responsibility. It would increase the likelihood of the plants living and you can turn it into an inter-house unity thing or whatever. It would also decrease the number of projects that you need to grade allowing you more free time…” Why hadn’t I suggested this before? I can totally be Neville’s partner and get an Easy A. That was a good movie. Emma Stone was fabulous. And I mean Exceeds Expectations gods it’s been three years and I’m still mixing those up.  
“Mr. Fisher. I’ll take that into consideration. For now, everyone pull out your texts and read page 632,” Sprout says while sitting down at her desk and pulling out a stack of papers while the class scrambles for their texts. Page 632 that’s the bit about Lemongrass.  
“Neville,” I say turning to the boy next to me.  
“Nick?”  
“If she approves my idea do you want to be partners?”  
“W-why?”  
“You’re a herbology prodigy and I can crank out a paper in 30 minutes. Win-win.”  
“O-O-kay.” he stutters out as I turn back to my ink-blotted transfiguration essay. I hate quills. Why don’t they just use pens? C’mon man you’ve had this same argument since 1st year. And besides, it IS kinda cool. But a serious hassle. Focus. Read about lemongrass Fisher. You got this. “Are….Are you sure…”  
“Huh. What?”  
“Are you sure?”  
“About what?”  
“That you’d want to be my partner…?”  
“Chill Nev it’s not like it’s a marriage bond or something. You’re good with plants. I’m good at essays. I don’t have time to be good at both. I have projects to work on and potions to create. By sharing the work you be saving me roughly 16 hours of work which I can easily put towards other endeavors.”  
“I...I”  
“Listen if it makes you feel weird or whatever to work with a Slytherin I’ll find another partner. I just figured this combination would be the most mutually beneficial. I’ve noticed purebloods don’t get much tutoring in the way of grammar and frankly it’s irritating.”  
“I’m sorry?”  
“You should be! but really it’s not your fault. It’s this whole fucking system! I’ve taken to tutoring the Slytherins. For a small fee of course. The worst cases I do free to start cuz they are truly hopeless but it’s easy money. I’d help you for free though if you ever wanted it. I mostly charge the Slytherins so that they don’t think they owe me or something. It’s an easier trade,” I roll my eyes before continuing “you, however, are Gryffindor and I figure you won’t begrudge someone literally just wanting your grammar not to suck for the sake of their own sanity,” I flash him a grin to let him know I wasn’t trying to be offensive before turning back to my essay letting my shoulders slowly curl in the longer the silence lasts for. Let him think I think that he won’t accept cuz I’m a Slytherin.  
“Okay,” he says shifting his weight between feet as he pulls at the hem of his sleeve.  
“Excellent!” I say ‘perking’ up. “Let me know when you’re free and we can work out a time and place to meet!”  
“S-sounds good,” he stutters out giving me a sideways look before turning his attention to his own text, an advanced herbology book by the look of it.  
“Alright, class. Listen up!” Professor Sprout shouts over the din a few minutes later. “I’ve thought about Mr. Fisher’s suggestion and have decided to go with his idea. Class. Class. Stop shouting and listen,” she says attempting to be heard over the sudden explosion of noise at Gryffs and Snakes making their displeasure known. “SILENCIO!” She shouts waving her wand once silencing the class in an instant. “I think you all just proved Mr. Fisher’s point. You are going to finish reading the section for homework and I will give you your partner assignments next class along with a revised version of the project. Any questions or concerns will wait until after I give out the assignment tomorrow. Any complaints about partners or sabotage will result in a loss of points for both your house and your grade. Dismissed.” When no one moved she sighed “The spell will continue until dinner unless otherwise noted. Mr. Fisher in a moment.” The class would have grumbled if they could, as it were they were sulking and hand waving enough to make up for it. I stayed seated and grabbed Neville’s sleeve as he made an attempt to rise, shaking my head once at his questioning glance. “You two will be partners then?”  
“Yes Professor,” I smile and bump Neville giving him a look and motioning for him to nod. Once he does Sprout continues.  
“Very well. 5 points each for setting a good example. Now, who should be partners? Don’t give me that look Fisher. This was your idea. So follow through with it.” I roll my eyes and sigh causing Neville’s mouth to drop open. What did he think? That I was always super helpful? I guess he’d never actually seen me interact with a professor before. Weird.   
“Potter and Malfoy are a given. What Neville? Don’t give me that look. Just think of how good it would be if the stubborn idiots could get over themselves long enough to get an assignment done? Zabini and Granger, Weasley and Parkinson, Goyle and Patil Crabb and Finnegan…? Whaddaya think Nev?” I trail off looking towards a flabbergasted Neville.  
“Well...Umm… Dean and Daphne no wait… Dean and Theo? Daphne and… Lavender? Eloise and…?  
“Millicent? Which would leave Davis and Dunbar…?” I question uncertainty.  
“What if it was Eloise and Tracy…? I think they got along the one time they were forced to pair up in charms last year….?”  
“When Weasley was in the hospital wing at the end of the year?”  
“Yeah…”  
“Brilliant Nev. I think I remember something about Davis getting a reference to a show Midgan made or something...” I grip his shoulder briefly causing him to turn beet red. Right. He’s not used to praise. We should work on that.  
“That’s great you two! Another 5 points each! Now off you trot. I have a project to tweak,” Professor Sprout interjects excitedly shooing us out of the greenhouse and into the brisk fall day.  
“What just happened?” Neville asks when we get about have way back to the castle.  
“We just committed an act of inter-house unity and cemented our crime by partnering up various classmates who’ll try and kill me at a later time.”  
“So same old same old then?”  
“Basically yeah.”  
“Can I ask you a question. Besides this one I mean?”  
“Caught on to that have you? But yeah sure. I don’t promise an answer though.”  
“Fair enough. Um…. Why are you helping me? Besides that I’m good at Herbology I mean.” Bold. Didn’t think he would have it in him to ask me until the third tutoring session.  
“Because we’re friends?” I shrug opening the castle doors and waving him through.  
“....” he blinks rapidly mouth dropping open as he jerks to a stop in the doorway.  
“Talk to you later Nev. And let me know when you’re free so we can work on your grammar,” I tap him gently on the arm be for turning and heading on my way leaving a flabbergasted Longbottom in my wake.


	2. The Plan

“Longbottom Fisher? And here I was thinking you had standards,” Malfoy sneered, arms crossed over his chest, Crabb and Goyle just behind him. Really? Nick thought to himself as he looked up from the essay splay out across his lap.   
“Whatever are you referring to Malfoy?”  
“Don’t play stupid. Pansy saw you chatting to him after class calling him your friend, and Merlin knows we all saw how friendly you too were during class. It’s disgusting, fraternising with a blood traitor Gryffindor. Especially one as weak as Longbottom.”  
“Careful Malfoy. If I didn’t know better I’d say you were jealous. But that’s not right because there’s only one Gryff you’d be jealous of my being friends with.”  
“What are you implying mudblood!”  
“I’m not implying anything. If I were you wouldn’t be guessing. Now,” Nick says quietly standing from his spot on the sofa to face Malfoy face on, “I am going to say this once and not again, is that clear? Who I decide to converse with is not only none of your business or anyone else’s, neither is the reasoning behind it. Do you understand? I might just be a ‘mudblood’ but at least I know what it means to be a Slytherin and behave as such. Cunning and ambitious. What did you hope to gain by confronting me about my personal affairs while I did my homework by the fire? What about that is cunning or ambitious? I mean it’s fool hardy and brave for sure. But cunning?” Nick leans his face next to Draco’s ear and whisper’s “now, unless you want me to make public your little crush I suggest never referring to my friends as ‘weak minded’ ever again. Don’t sputter now Malfoy or they’ll think we’re lovers and that I’m whispering flirtations in your ear. And we wouldn't want that now would we?” Straightening he continues at a more regular volume, “run along now dear, you’ll want to be well rested for class tomorrow! It should be exciting, you wouldn’t want to miss it now.” and with that Nick resumes his earlier position as Malfoy skulks back to his dorm room, face Weasley red.  
Silence filled the common room as the door to the boy's dormitory slamsedshut. Then;  
“Woah Fisher didn’t know you had it in you! Whatever did you say to Malfoy to turn him that shade?” A fifth-year sayid breaking the silence and sparking the whole room to start chattering.  
“Now why would I spill my secrets? They don’t work if everyone knows them now, do they?” Nick asks with a wink toward the older student.  
“Guess you are a Slytherin after all.”  
“I always had him pegged as a Hufflepuff. Thought the hat was breaking down.”  
“Obviously. That’s the game, isn’t it? What kind of Slytherin acts like the stereotype? Not very cunning now, is it?”  
“Wait. So you’re saying that it’s all fake? That you’ve acted the part of a Hufflepuff so well the past four years that you had even Snape believing it?”  
“I’m not saying anything of the sort.”  
“Of course not,” the fifth-year says, his grin widening when Nick gives him a wink before returning to his paper.   
“Hmm Hmm,” the fifth-year sounds from his new place sitting on the table across from Nick, only allowing the barest hints of a smile on his face when Nick starts.  
“Jesus dude. Don’t do that. I thought it was Umbitch for a moment and thought I was going to have to read my textbook or something.”  
“What can we do?”  
“What?”  
“What can we do to help?” Pipes up a 6th year.  
“What are you lot going on about now?”  
“Your plan Fisher. Your ultra Slytherin plan. We want in on it.”  
“There’s no plan. And if there was, why would I need or believe in any help that you gave?”  
“Power in numbers? It makes you look good? You could easily slaughter us in our sleep or get someone else to if we betrayed you?”  
“Hmmm.” Thank you, Malfoy. Now to make them suffer. Let’s see their patients. One checking of the time, two fidgeters struggling to not fidget, a foot tapper, some shifting in their spots but no movement from the fifth or sixth year, Parkinson, Zabini, or a 3rd-year girl. Interesting. “Do you remember my sorting?”  
“You were a hatstall right?”  
“The first in what? 40 years? Do you know why?” head shakes. “The hat and I were discussing the pros and cons of each house. I was determined to be Slytherin before the hat was on my head. What took the remaining 8.5 minutes was how Slytherin it was for a Slytherin to be in Slytherin. I convinced the hat to put me in each of the houses and then chose Slytherin after it said Gryffindor. I say this because I want you all to understand how much time I have put into this. Not even the hat could tell in which house I belonged in the end. If anyone messes up, there will be consequences. And they will be specially designed to be what you would find the most horrifying. Does everyone understand? Good. Now, get Malfoy. This situation has given me the most wonderful of ideas.”  
“Why do I feel like we just made a pact with a demon?”  
“Just get him.”  
*****************************************

“That’s enough Malfoy.”  
“Ohh the mudblood standing up for a firstie Hufflepuff,” Draco says nearly preening from his position over a trembling first year. Nick pulls the first year up without taking his eye off of Malfoy.  
“You alright? Kid. what’s your name? It’s alright I’m not going to hurt you.”  
“Sa...Sam. My name’s Sam,” the Hufflepuff says.  
“Alright then Sam, are you hurt anywhere? No? Okay. Well if that changes go to Madam Pomfrey or myself and we’ll get it straightened out for you okay? Good. Now I’ll take care of this if you want to run along.” when Sam doesn’t budge Nick just sighs and turns back to face Malfoy. The crowds not big enough. We should have waited… Oh well. Too late now, hopefully, someone else comes out of the dining hall. We just have to attract a bit of attention is all.   
“Going to face me yourself then Fisher?”  
“I should be saying that to you Malfoy, or don’t you have the nerve without your muscle?”  
“Why you little-”  
“Little what Malfoy? Mudblood? Do you have any other insults? That one’s starting to wear thin, and only shows how small minded you are. What, daddy’s not here so you’re fresh out of insults? There’s more to life than blood status and wealth after all. Like how you’re behind both Granger and Potter in defense, myself and Granger in Potions, Neville Granger and Abbott in Herbology, you’re 5th or 6th in Hagrid's class, and that must really irk you. To know that Hufflepuff’s and mudbloods are smarter than you even in classes that you’re favoured. And let’s not even begin on how disloyal you are to even your own housemates, your lack of cunning, how much you rely on your mommy and daddy to solve your problems, and need I go on? Not so big and mighty now Malfoy are you?”  
“At least I have standards, Fisher. I don’t talk to just anyone. And at least my parents send me letters Fisher, How many have you gotten? A handful, maybe less. And what 2 were from your parents? It’s no wonder you’ve befriended Longbottom of all people. You’re needy,” Malfoy sneered just as the Great Hall doors opened to emit students. Perfect. Fisher thought having seen that the crowd had heard at least part of his statement.  
“At least Longbottom is good at more than picking on those smaller than him. And doesn’t rely on others to fight his battles for him. At least Longbottom isn’t a coward and works for what he gets. At least Longbottom doesn’t run when things get tough.”  
“What is going on here! Malfoy and Pot-Fisher. Explain yourselves at once!” McGonagall says appearing suddenly having been drawn to the scene by the crowd.  
“Uh. Nothing Professor?” Nick said unsuredly.  
“He was helping me Pro...Professor,” Sam stuttered out from behind Nick. “Ma...Malfoy was p...pointing his wand at me and Fi...Fisher stopped him.”  
“Is that so Sam? Well then. Detention Mr. Malfoy. One week. And get a professor next time Mr. Fisher, you can’t keep doing this.”  
“Sorry professor. It appears my Gryffindor tendencies have gotten the best of me again professor. I’ll endeavor to work on it for the future,” Nick says grinning at professor McGonagall realizing with a blink that they were now eye level with each other. “Have you gotten into my store of shrinking potion professor?”  
“Cut the cheek Mr. Fisher or you’ll find yourself joining Mr. Malfoy in detention. What are you all standing around for? This isn’t a show. Move along now,” She says causing most of those gathered to disperse. “You too Mr. Fisher and I believe you had someplace to be Sam? Good.”  
“Hey wait up,” Neville called once Nick had made his way down the hallway and away from the Great Hall.  
“Hey Nev, what’s happenin?”  
“Did you mean that? What you said back there?” He said panting from his jog to catch up to Nick.  
“That McGonagall's gotten into my shrinking potion stores? I only made it once in class so I don’t see how I could have ‘stores’ of it…”  
“No, about my not being a coward?” He clarified trying not to mumble. Nick stopped dead in his tracks, turning to face Neville.  
“Neville Longbottom, you are one of the bravest people I know. And I don’t mean Potter and Weasley’s brand of reckless, occasionally suicidal, bravery, I mean the bravery that comes from being terrified and doing something anyway because you have to. In knowing when to step back and keep quiet and when to speak up. Potter may be a stereotype but his brave streak would lead him to tell Fudge that he sucks at his job straight to his face and finish the day by provoking death eaters for the heck of it. While fun to watch it's stupid. You fight when you have to but you pick your battles and you’re not showy about it. Like in potions, the class freaks you out and you’ve never been great at it, but you’ve never missed a class and you’ve never stopped trying and you don’t egg Snape on like your fellows,” Fisher finishes hand resting lightly on Neville’s shoulder.  
“But that’s not brave! I just let him have a go at me!” Neville exclaimed, eyes wide.  
“As opposed to what? Sarcastic replies? Where would that get you? Bottom of the class with Weasley and Potter? You just need some confidence is all. You’re already plenty brave,” he pats Neville’s shoulder and continues walking leaving a baffled but smiling Neville in his wake. And that’s called follow through. A plan well executed.


End file.
